how to

add color
to your ceramic art

a guide to using ceramic colorants,

ceramic stains, and ceramic oxides
How to Add Color to Your Ceramic Art
A Guide to Using Ceramic Colorants, Ceramic Stains and
Ceramic Oxides
Adding color to your ceramic art can be a tricky proposition. Unlike working with paints, what you put on your prize pot or
sculpture can look very different after firing compared to what they look like before firing. As a general rule, ceramic stains
and ceramic pigments look pretty much the same before and after firing while ceramic oxides like iron oxide, cobalt oxide,
and copper oxide as well as cobalt carbonate and copper carbonate all look very different. In this guide you’ll discover a
little help to better understand what, how, and why ceramic colorants work in a glaze. Enjoy!

The World of Ceramic Colorants

by Robin Hopper
The potter’s palette can be just as broad as the painter’s because there are so many ceramic
colorants and combinations to choose from. By combining ceramic oxides, ceramic stains, and
ceramic pigments in various proportions, you can get virtually every color in the spectrum.

Detailed and Unstructured

by Lori Martin
Lori Martin is a self-professed fan of structure, which is evident in her tight, tidy, and orderly
glaze-trailed decorations. In this article, Martin outlines how she organizes, divides, and glazes
her highly decorative and colorful pottery. She also discusses how she uses ceramic color and
gradients in her work.

Discovering New Glaze Colors with Ceramic Stains

By John Britt
Commercially prepared ceramic pigments, commonly referred to as ceramic stains, expand the
potter’s palette with infinite color options. Ceramic pigments are easy to use and the simplest
way to introduce a wide range of color into your work.

How Lana Wilson Uses Ceramic Pigments

by Annie Chrietzberg
Lana Wilson’s work is mostly black and white with bits of vibrant color splashed about.
She gets her color from ceramic pigments mixed with a clay slip which she makes from a
commercial clay body. She explains how to mix the slip, how much ceramic pigment to add for
each color, and how to use the glaze on a finished piece.

Bright Pottery Colors Inside and Out

by John Conrad
One way to create colorful pottery is to use a glaze or colored slip on the surface. But in this
fun project, John Conrad shows how to use metallic oxides and ceramic stains to color the clay
itself so the color is incorporated into the form. Then he shows a great way to turn a colored
block of clay into a wheel thrown pottery bowl.

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The World of
COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS
Dark Red

Ceramic Colorants
Copper Vary Red. 0.5%-5% Best in glazes containing less than 10% clay content,
and a high alkaline content. Needs good reduction.
In low temperatures it can be reduced during cool-
ing. Good reds as low as cone 018.

by Robin Hopper Iron Vary Both 5%-10% Good in many glaze bases at all temperatures. Can
be improved with the addition of 2%-5% tin oxide.
Nickel 4-10 Ox. 5%-8% Use in barium-saturated glazes.
Burgundy

Red to Orange Iron See Dark Red, Iron.

Copper See Dark Red, Copper. Owing to the unstable nature of copper, this colorant
The potter’s palette can be just as broad as the painter’s. can produce a wide range of results. Very controlled
Different techniques can be closely equated to working in reduction firing and cooling are important.

any of the two-dimensional media, such as pencil, pen and Maroon

ink, pastel, watercolor, oils, encaustics or acrylics. We also Chrome-Tin Stains Vary Ox. 1%-5% Use in glazes with calcium. There should be no zinc
in the glaze.
have an advantage in that the fired clay object is permanent,
Copper Vary Red. 0.5%-5% Best in high alkaline glazes.
unless disposed of with a blunt instrument! Our works may
Crimson
live for thousands of years—a sobering thought.
Copper + Titanium 8-10 Red. 1%-5% Try various blends of copper (1%-5%) and titanium
Because a number of colors can only be achieved at low (2%-5%).
temperatures, you need a series of layering techniques in Calcium-Selenium Stains 010-05 Ox. 0.5-5% Best with special frits.
order to have the fired strength of stoneware or porcelain Indian Red
and the full palette range of the painter. To accomplish this, Iron Vary Both 5%-10% Best in high calcium glazes; small amount of bone
ash helps. Tin addition up to 5% also helps. Also
low-temperature glazes or overglazes are made to adhere works well in ash glazes.
to a higher-fired glazed surface, and can be superimposed Brick Red
over already existing decoration. To gain the full measure Iron Vary Both 5%-10% Similar to Indian Red. Tin to 2% helps.
of color, one has to fire progressively down the temperature Orange-Brown
range so as not to burn out heat-sensitive colors that can’t Iron + Rutile Vary Both 1%-10% Various mixtures (up to 8% iron and 2% rutile) in
be achieved any other way. Usually the lowest and last firing most glaze bases.
is for precious metals: platinum, palladium, and gold. Iron + Tin Vary Both 1%-5% Various mixtures (up to 4% iron and 1% tin) in most
glaze bases. Creamier than iron with rutile.
For the hot side of the spectrum—red, orange, and yel-
Orange-Red
low—there are many commercial body and glaze stains, in
Cadmium- 012-05 Ox. 1%-4% Best with special frits such as Ferro 3548 or 3278 or
addition to the usual mineral colorants. Ceramists look- Selenium Stains both. Helps to opacify with zirconium.
ing for difficult-to-achieve colors might want to consider Orange
prepared stains, particularly in the yellow, violet, and purple Iron Vary Both 1%-5% Use in tin or titanium opacified glazes.
ranges. These colors are often quite a problem with stan- Rutile Vary Both 5%-15% Many glaze types, particularly alkaline. More suc-
dard minerals, be they in the form of oxides, carbonates, cessful in oxidation.

nitrates, sulfates, chlorides or even the basic metal itself. Copper 8-10 Both 1%-3% Use in high alumina or magnesia glazes. Addition of
up to 5% rutile sometimes helps.
Minerals that give reds, oranges, and yellows are cop-
Orange-Yellow
per, iron, nickel, chromium, uranium, cadmium-selenium,
Iron Vary Both 2%-5% With tin or titanium opacified glazes.
rutile, antimony, vanadium, and praseodymium. Varia-
Rutile Vary Ox. 1%-10% Best with alkaline glazes.
tions in glaze makeup, temperature and atmosphere
Yellow Ocher
profoundly affect this particular color range. The only
Iron Vary Both 1%-10% Use in high barium, strontium or zinc glazes.
materials which produce red at high temperatures are cop-
Iron + Tin Vary Ox. 1%-5% Various mixtures (up to 3.5% iron and 1.5% tin) in
per, iron, and nickel. The results with nickel are usually many glaze bases.
muted. Reds in the scarlet to vermilion range can only be Iron + Rutile Vary Both 1%-5% Various mixtures (up to 2.5% iron and 2.5% rutile)
in many glaze bases.
achieved at low temperatures.
Vanadium- Vary Ox. 5%-10%Various mixtures in many Zirconium stain
The chart should help pinpoint mineral choices for Zirconian Stains glaze bases.
desired colors (note that the color bars are for guidance Lemon Yellow
only and not representative of the actual colors—Ed.). Praseodymium Stains Vary Both 1%-10% Good in most glazes. Best in oxidation.
Colors are listed with the minerals needed to obtain them, Pale/Cream Yellow
approximate temperatures, atmosphere, saturation per- Iron + Tin Vary Both 2%-5% Various mixtures (up to 3.5% iron and 1.5% tin)
centage needed, and comments on enhancing/inhibiting in high barium, strontium or zinc glazes. Titanium
opacification helps.
factors. Because of the widely variable nature of ceramic
Vanadium Vary Both 2%-5% Use in tin-opacified glazes.
color, there are many generalities here. Where the word
Rutile + Tin Vary Ox. 2%-5% Various mixtures (up to 2.5% iron and 2% tin) in
“vary” occurs in the column under Cone, it signifies that variety of glaze bases. Titanium opacification helps.
the intended results could be expected most of the time at Note: Colors bars are for visual reference only,
various points up to cone 10. and do not represent actual colors.

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Yellow-Green to Navy Blue
The cool side of the glaze spectrum (from yellow- The colorants known for creating cool hues
green to navy blue) is considerably easier, both are copper, chromium, nickel, cobalt, iron,
to produce and work with, than the warm. In the and sometimes molybdenum. For variations,
main, colorants that control this range create far some are modified by titanium, rutile, manga-
fewer problems than almost any of the red, orange, nese or black stains. The usual three variables
and yellow range. Some are temperature and atmo- of glaze makeup, temperature, and atmosphere
sphere sensitive, but that’s nothing compared to the still control the outcome, though it is less obvi-
idiosyncrasies possible with warm colors. ous in this range.

COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS COLORANT CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS

Yellow Green Turquoise
Copper + Rutile Vary Both 2%-10% Various mixtures in a wide variety of glazes, particu- Copper Vary Ox. 1%-10% In high alkaline and barium glazes. Bluish with
larly those high in alkaline materials. Almost any yel- no clay content; tends toward greenish tint with
low glaze to which copper is added will produce yellow added clay.
green.
Copper + Rutile Vary Both 1%-5% In high alkaline and barium glazes.
Chromium Vary Both 0.5%-3% In yellow glazes without tin or zinc.
Copper + Tin Vary Ox. 1%-10% In high alkaline and barium glazes; usually opaque.
Chromium 4-8 Ox. 0.25%-1% In saturated barium glazes.
Light Blue
Chromium 018-015 Ox. 0-2% In high alkaline glazes with no tin.
Nickel Vary Ox. 1%-2% In high zinc or barium glazes.
Cobalt Vary Both 0-1% In any yellow glazes.
Rutile Vary Red. 1%-5% In a wide range of glazes; best with low (10% or
Light Green less) clay content.
Copper Vary Ox. 0-2.5% In various glazes except those high in barium or mag- Cobalt Vary Both 0.25%-1% Use in most glazes, particularly those opacified with
nesium. Best in glazes opacified with tin or titanium. tin. Also use mixed with small amounts of iron.
Cobalt Vary Both 0-2% In glazes opacified with titanium, or containing rutile. Celadon Blue
Apple Green Iron 6-10 Red. 0.25%-1% In high alkaline or calcium clear glazes. Black iron is
generally preferable to red iron.
Chromium Vary Both 0-2% In various glazes without zinc or tin. Good in al-
kaline glazes with zirconium opacifiers. Also use Wedgewood Blue
potassium dichromate.
Cobalt + Iron Vary Both 0.5%-2% In most glazes; small amounts of cobalt with iron,
Copper 1%-2% See Light Green; use in non-opacified glazes. manganese or nickel yield soft blues. Added tin gives
pastel blue.
Celadon Green
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 0.5%-2%
Iron Vary Red 0.5%-2% Best with high sodium, calcium or potassium glazes.
Do not use with zinc glazes. Cobalt + Nickel Vary Both 0.5%-2%
Copper Vary Ox. 0.5%-2% Good in a wide range of glazes. Cobalt 4-10 Both 0.5%-3% In high zinc glazes.
Grass Green Nickel 4-10 Ox. 1%-3% In high barium/zinc glazes; likely to be crystalline.
Copper 010-2 Ox. 1%-5% In high lead glazes; sometimes with boron. Blue Gray
Chromium 018-04 Ox. 1%-2% In high alkaline glazes. Nickel Vary Ox. 0.5%-5% In high barium/zinc glazes.
Olive Green Rutile Vary Red. 2%-5% In a wide variety of glazes, particularly high alumina
or magnesia recipes.
Nickel Vary Both 1%-5% In high magnesia glazes; matt to shiny olive green.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 0.5%-2% In most opaque glazes.
Iron Vary Red. 3%-5% In high calcium and alkalines, usually clear glazes.
Cobalt Vary Ox. 0.5%-5% In high zinc glazes.
Hooker’s Green
Ultramarine
Copper + Cobalt Vary Ox. 2%-5% In a wide variety of glaze bases.
Cobalt Vary Both 0.5%-5% In high barium, colemanite, and calcium glazes; no
Cobalt + Vary Both 2%-5% In a wide variety of glaze Chromium bases: no zinc or
zinc, magnesium or opacification.
tin. Good opacified with zirconium or titanium.
Cerulean Blue
Chrome Green
Cobalt Vary Both 0.5%-5% In glazes containing cryolite of fluorspar.
Chromium 06-12 Both 2%-5% In most glazes; no zinc or tin.
Cobalt + Chromium Vary Both 2%-5% In most glazes except those containing zinc or tin.
Dark Green
Prussian Blue
Copper Vary Ox. 5%-10% Many glaze bases, particularly high barium,
strontium, zinc or alkaline with a minimum of Nickel 6-10 Ox. 5%-10% In high barium/zinc glazes.
10% kaolin.
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% In most glaze bases.
Cobalt + Chromium Vary Both 5%-10% Blends of these colorants will give a wide range of
dark greens. Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% In most glazes; for example, cobalt 2%, chromium
2% and manganese 2%.
Cobalt + Rutile Vary Both 5%-10% Dark greens with blue overtones.
Navy Blue
Teal Blue
Cobalt Vary Both 5%-10% In most glazes except those high in zinc, barium or
Cobalt + Rutile Vary Both 1%-5% In a wide variety of glazes. magnesium.
Cobalt + Chromium Vary Both 1%-5% In most glazes without tin or zinc.
Note: Colors bars are for visual reference only,
and do not represent actual colors.

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Indigo to Purple COLORANT
Indigo
CONE ATMOS. % COMMENTS

The indigo-to-purple part of the color wheel is small Nickel Vary Ox. 8%-15% Use in high barium/zinc glazes. Also likely to crystal-
but significant. The colorants that produce this range lize.

are nickel, cobalt, manganese, umber, iron, chro- Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% Various mixtures in most glazes.

mium, rutile ilmenite, copper, iron chromate, and Cobalt + Black Stain Vary Both 5%-8% Various mixtures in most glazes.

black stains. In short, one could say that the colo- Violet

rants needed include just about the whole group that Cobalt Vary Both 5%-10% In high magnesium glazes.

are used for all the other colors in the spectrum. The Nickel Vary Ox. 1%-10% In some saturated-barium glazes.

only ones I haven’t talked about previously in this Manganese Vary Both 5%-10% In high alkaline glazes.

articles series are umber, ilmenite, iron chromate, Copper Vary Ox. 8%-10% In some saturated-barium glazes.

and black stains. Purple

Black Stains Formulated from a variable mixture of Copper 6-10 Both 8%-10% In high barium and barium/zinc glazes.

other colorants, black stains are usually rather expen- Copper 8-10 Red. 1%-5% In copper red glazes opacified with titanium.

sive due to their being saturations of colorant materials. Nickel Vary Ox. 5%-10% In some high barium glazes.

Various companies produce black stains usually from Cobalt Vary Both 5%-10% In high magnesium glazes.

a combination of iron, cobalt, chromium, manganese, Manganese 04-10 Ox. 5%-10% In high alkaline and barium glazes.

iron chromate and sometimes nickel mixed with fillers Iron 8-10 Red. 8%-10% In high calcium glazes; likely to crystallize.

and fluxes such as clay, feldspar and silica. I use the Copper + Cobalt Vary Red. 2%-8% Various mixtures in many glazes.

following recipe: Chrome + Tin + Cobalt Vary Ox. 2%-8% Various mixtures in many glazes.
Mauve or Lilac
Black Stain Cobalt Vary Both 1%-5% In high magnesium glazes.
Chromium Oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 %. %
Nickel Vary Ox. 1%-5% In some saturated-barium glazes.
Cobalt Carbonate or Oxide . . . . . . . . 20 %.
Pink
Manganese Dioxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 %.
Red Iron Oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 %. Cobalt Vary Ox. 1%-3% In high magnesium glazes opacified with tin. Also in
very low alumina content glazes.
Feldspar (any) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Kaolin (any) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Copper Vary Red. 0.2%-2% In copper red glazes with titanium.

Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Copper 6-10 Ox. 0.2%-3% In high magnesium or high alumina glazes.
10 %.0 %. % Copper 8-10 Red. 5%-10% In copper red glazes opacified w/min. 5% titanium.
Chromium Vary Ox. 1%-2% In calcium glazes opacified with 5%-10% tin.
This mixture is best ball-milled for a minimum of Iron Vary Ox. 1%-5% In calcium glazes opacified with tin.
four hours to limit its tendency toward cobalt speck- Rutile Vary Both 5%-10% In high calcium and some ash glazes.
ing, and to make sure that the colorants are thoroughly Nickel 018-010 Ox. 1%-3% In high barium glazes with some zinc.
mixed. Because any black stain is a very concentrated Manganese Vary Both 1%-5% In alkaline glazes opacified with tin or titanium. Also
mixture, only small amounts are normally needed to in high alumina glazes.
cause a strong effect. In a clear glaze, a maximum of Brown
5% should produce an intense black. In opaque glazes, Iron Vary Both 3%-10% In most glazes.
more stain than that may be needed. Black stains and Manganese Vary Both 2%-10% In most glazes.
white opacifiers mixed together will produce a range of Nickel Vary Both 2%-5% In high boron, calcium, and lead glazes.
opaque grays. Stains, like other ceramic materials, are Chromium Vary Both 2%-5% In high zinc glazes.
subject to the three variables of glaze makeup, tempera- Umber Vary Both 2%-10% In most glazes.
ture and atmosphere. Ilmenite Vary Both 2%-10% In most glazes. High calcium may yield bluish tint.
Outside the color wheel one finds tones of brown, gray, Rutile Vary Both 5%-10% In most glazes; golden brown.
and black. These moderate other colors. A color wheel Gray
could, I suppose, include the range of opacifiers since they Iron Vary Red. 2%-4% In many glaze bases; gray brown.
also have a strong role in affecting color. The toning influ- Iron Chromate Vary Both 2%-5% In most glaze bases without zinc or tin.
ence of brown, gray, and black is just as much opacifying Nickel Vary Both 2%-5% In most glaze bases; gray brown.
in result as are the white opacifiers such as tin, titanium, Copper 8-10 Both 3%-10% In high magnesium glazes. Warm gray in reduction;
cold gray in oxidation.
and zirconium compounds such as Zircopax, Opax,
Cobalt + Nickel Vary Both 1%-5% Blue gray in most glazes.
Superpax, and Ultrox. Slight additional increments of any
Cobalt + Manganese Vary Both 1%-5% Blue gray to purple gray in most glazes.
of these colors will render most glazes, colored or not,
Black Stain Vary Both 1%-5% Shades of gray in most opacified glazes.
progressively darker as they are added.
Black
Excerpted from The Ceramic Spectrum: A Simplified Approach Iron Vary Both 8%-12% In high calcium glazes—the temmoku range.
to Glaze and Color Development, published by The American Copper Vary Both 8%-10% In a wide range of glazes.
Ceramic Society.
Cobalt Vary Both 8%-10% Blue black in most glazes except those high in zinc
Note: Colors bars are for visual reference only, and magnesium.
and do not represent actual colors. Black Stain Vary Both 3%-10% In most zinc-free, non-opacified glazes.

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 Detailed and
UNSTRUCTURED
For me, one of the most challenging parts of making pot-
tery is determining how to decorate my work. If the form
is complicated, a simple glaze solution usually works
best. If the form is simple, my possibilities are unlimited.
I like order and detail. Keeping things tight, tidy, and or-
derly is my natural inclination—a trend that was evident
throughout my career as a graphic designer. In general,
I tend to keep my forms simple as I enjoy adding very
colorful, highly detailed decoration. Interestingly enough,
I’m always drawn to designs that appear more loose or
unstructured in other artists’ work. This design speaks
to both.
Defining the Structure and Composition
The bowl, a simple half sphere forming a continuous
curve, is bisque fired and has 2 coats of clear glaze on
the entire surface. Once the glaze is dry, start the de-
sign by finding the center (1) and drawing concentric
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by Lori Martin
circles with a compass (2). Divide the circles into the de-
sired number of sections, in this case 18, with a MKM
Decorating Disk at the center of the bowl (3), sketch-
ing lines up to the rim. Draw two concentric bands at
the top edge to form the decorative border, establish-
ing the rim (4). The lines are drawn from the center
up the curve, mapping out the pattern to the rounded
surface. Due to the increased surface area, there are
twice as many segments at the top of the bowl, 36 on
this piece. The rim and the center graphic share the same
graphic elements (and ultimately colors). These areas
are quite structured and symmetrical, defining the shape
and the curve of the bowl. Pencil in the segments so you
have an outline for the glaze application (5).
Applying Black Glaze
Next, begin applying the black glaze, using a small
squeeze bottle with a thin, needle tip typically used for
 1 2 3

Find the center by draping a fabric ruler Use a compass to draw concen- An MKM Decorating Disk helps to
from rim to rim. tric circles at the bottom of the divide the area into desired number
bowl. of sections.

4 5

Pencil in lines following the curve of the bowl. Continue Add decoration. Lightly wipe pencil marks off with a
dividing the bowl into sections. towel. The sketch remains faint, but the graphite won’t
repel glaze.

slip trailing (6).Glaze trail these lines quickly to pro-
duce a loose line quality and to keep the lines as thin
as possible.
After the border and center are completely outlined,
start adding the leaf shapes freehand, moving quickly to
keep lines fluid and soft (7). Alternate size and shapes
intentionally to keep the design fresh and lively. Work-
ing in a circular pattern, start at the base and move in
a spiral around, adding the leaf outlines. The repetition
of the shapes is fun, and I let it go where it wants in size
and proximity without really thinking about it. It builds
itself naturally (8).
Once that part is complete, add small leaves to ar-
eas that seem like “holes” when looking at the entire
surface (9). It might sound silly, but I think squinting a
little helps me identify these gaps–similar to finding hid-
den shapes with a different perspective. At this point,
everything is still black and white—white clay with a
clear glaze layer under black glaze outlines.
Adding Color Gradients
I knew I wanted to use a gradient effect for this design, and
had already tested a range of colors that would work well
together this way, eight total for the leaves. To contrast, I se-
lected colors from the opposite side of the color wheel for the
center and border (10). I think the color combinations really
add to the energy of this piece—cool, pastel, almost Victorian
colors for the border and center, then bright, gradient, analo-
gous colors from the opposite side of the color wheel for the
leaves.
I apply the colored glazes using the same bottles with thin
tips as used for the black glaze. Start with the darkest red, again
working in a circular pattern, adding color to one round of leaf
shapes (11) and then estimating how many more to include,
overlapping into the area where the next shade will begin. This
allows the color gradient to flow more naturally into the next
shade, avoiding any type of visual or obvious line where the
color switches. Because of their visual weight and effect on the
volume of the gradient, keep the number of darker red colors

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 6 7

Begin trailing outlines with a black glaze. Fill in the shapes of the circular pattern.

8 9

Glaze trailing complete on the inside surface. Example of a hole in the pattern fixed by adding a small
shape.

10 11

This color wheel shows the relationship between my Begin adding color glazes in a circular pattern.
colors.

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 12
The final step is to add black stems over the colored
glazes.
smaller in relation to the lighter, brighter colors—approxi-
mately half the number. Note: Due to the volume of the
bowl, the weight and effect of the darker hues feel bal-
anced and equal with the lighter shades.
Starting in the center, the dark red begins very close
to the lavender teardrop shapes. Place them rather close
in that area due to the shared warm color relationship.
Again, in contrast, stop the yellow leaves short of the lav-
ender tear shapes at the rim. The white area gives your eye
a place to rest, and keeps the elements from competing—a
decision reflected in the top edge as well. The last step is to
add black line details to the leaf shapes (12).
The same leaf design and color scheme is repeated on
the outside of the bowl with a small shift in placement.
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Finished glazed bowl before firing.
This differentiates the outside from the inside even though the
same shapes are used.
Overall, I love the energy that occurs between the formal bor-
der and center composition of the looser, organic leaf shapes.
It’s a kind of visual chaos that I think makes for an interesting
visual effect.
Another unexpected feature of this piece is the subtle,
raised surface produced by the layering of the glazes. This
texture, along with the smooth glossy surface entices you to
run your fingers over the finished leaves. It has an appealing
feel, and is a final sensory touch to the colorful symmetry
of this design.
Lori Martin is a ceramic artist and graphic designer living in Cincin-
nati, Ohio. Learn more about her work at http://lorimartin.com.
 Discovering New Colors
A triaxial blend is a method of testing three ingredients on a three-axis
system similar to a two-ingredient line blend.
Often triaxial blends are used to test the primary ingredients in a
A
glaze base, (for example, feldspar, whiting, and kaolin). It is often 1
employed when you don’t have a percent analysis to reference. If
you have a percent analysis, you can use a glaze software program to
predict glaze surfaces, but if you don’t, a triaxial blend is the empirical
A 100
method to see how they melt. B 0
Another use of the triaxial system is color blending. In this C 0
method, you keep the base glaze the same and vary the colorants
(oxides or stains or even opacifiers). In this triaxial color blend, I
tested various stains to develop different colors. Since we do not 2 3
know the exact amounts of oxides in commercial stains, blending
them in a triaxial can reveal surprising and unusual colors.
A 21-point triaxial is a systematic blending of three variables A 80 A 80
with 100% of each variable at the three corners. So in this B 20 B 0
case, Mason Deep Crimson #6006 is corner A at 100%, C 0 C 20
Mason Sky Blue #6363 is corner B at 100% and Mason
Praseodymium Yellow #6433 is corner C at 100%. The flow 4 5 6
along the vertices is then 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80. Instead
of using the numbers directly from the triaxial chart, I used 4
grams of stain at each corner. So 100% = 4 grams and then
I figured out that 80% of 4 grams was 3.4 grams, 60% was A 60 A 60 A 60
B 40 B 20 B 0
2.4 grams, and 20% was 0.8 grams. Then I substituted C 0 C 20 C 40
those numbers into the triaxial mixtures. For the tri-
axial glaze chart shown at the right, I used the 5 × 20
Base Glaze as shown below. 7 8 9 10
For additional testing you can also add metallic
oxides to stains to change the colors or add visual tex-
tures; add 3% Zircopax to brighten a color; add 3% A 40 A 40 A 40 A 40
titanium dioxide to make colors slightly more varie- B 60 B 40 B 20 B 0
gated; add 1% copper carbonate to any stain to push C 0 C 20 C 40 C 60
it toward green. The list can go on and on.
11 12 13 14 15
5 X 20 BASE GLAZE
Cone 6
Wollastonite. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 % A 20 A 20 A 20 A 20 A 20
Custer Feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 B 80 B 60 B 40 B 20 B 0
Ferro Frit 3134. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 C 0 C 20 C 40 C 60 C 80
EPK Kaolin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
100 % 16 17 18 19 20 21
21-Point Triaxial Blend Grid: Hansen 5
× 20 Clear Glaze mixed with A–Mason A 0 A 0 A 0 A 0 A 0 A 0
stain Deep Crimson 6006 (Cr, Sn), B– B 100 B 80 B 60 B 40 B 20 B 0
Mason stain Sky Blue 6363 (Co, Al, Si), C 0 C 20 C 40 C 60 C 80 C 100
and C–Mason stain Praseodymium Yel-
low 6433 (Pr, Zr, Si,) dipped on porce-
lain, fired to cone 6 in an electric kiln. B C
www.ceramicartsnetwork.org | Copyright © 2018, Ceramic Publications Company | How to Add Color to your Ceramic Art | 9
 How Lana Wilson Uses
Ceramic Pigments
by Annie Chrietzberg

L
ana Wilson’s work is mostly
black and white with bits of
vibrant color splashed about.
She says, “I have a background
in painting, and this technique really ap-
peals to the painter in me.” She gleaned
this current surface treatment from two
artists, Denise Smith of Ann Arbor,
Michigan, and Claudia Reese, a potter
1 2
from Texas.

Simple Slip
To prepare the slip, Wilson takes 100
grams of small pieces of bone dry clay
and adds 10–50 grams of a stain. The per-
centages of stains varies according to the
intensity of color she is trying to achieve.
The clay Wilson uses is Half & Half 3 4
from Laguna, formulated for firing at
cone 5, though she fires it to cone 6. This Base Coat or Wash Colors
660 %.0 %. Best Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 %. %
clay body is half porcelain and half white 6339 Royal Blue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5–10 %. %
stoneware. It’s not as white as porcelain, 60 %.69 Dark Coral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 %
but it does fire white rather than yellow
in oxidation, isn’t as finicky as porcelain, Accent Slips
6129 Golden Ambrosia . . . . . . . . . . . 30 %. %
and works well with Wilson’s making
6485 Titanium Yellow . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 %. %
methods. If you’re buying clay from the 60 %.24 Orange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 %. %
East Coast, she suggests a clay body called 6236 Chartreuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 %. %
Little Loafers from Highwater Clays. 60 %.27 Tangerine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 %
6211 Pea Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 %. %
Easy Application 6288 Turquoise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 %. %
The technique is simple. On a piece of Recipes 6242 Bermuda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
60 %.69 Dark Coral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
10 %.
35
%
%
bisqueware, first brush on black slip or There are two groups of colored 6122 Cedar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 %
one of the base colors (figure 1) then slips. The first group Wilson uses for 630 %.4 Violet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 %. %
sponge it off, leaving slip in the crevices the base coat that she washes off, K5997 Cherry Red* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 %. %
(figure 2). Then, using colored slips dab leaving color in all the recesses. The 27496 Persimmon Red (Cerdec)* . . . . 30 %. %
on bits of color here and there (figure accent slips are more intense and * inclusion pigments

3). Remove some of that with steel wool
(figure 4). “I can’t use water for this step
or it will muddy the colors,” Wilson
explains. CAUTION: You must wear
a respirator during this stage. In the
final step, she dips the piece in a clear
glaze, and fires to cone 6. Through lots
of experimenting, and with lots more to
go, Wilson finds that ending with a dark
color on top works best for her.
removed with steel wool. All stains
are Mason stains except for 27496
Persimmon Red, which is from Cer-
dec. Add the stains and bone dry clay
to water and allow to sit for 30–60
minutes so it will mix easier.
Note: Stain-bearing slips applied
to surfaces that come into contact
with food need to be covered with
a food-safe clear glaze.
Kate the Younger Clear Glaze
Cone 6
Ferro Frit 3195 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 %. %
EPK Kaolin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Wollastonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 %.
Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
10 %.0 %. %
Add: Bentonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 %
From Richard Burkett . Use over colored slips .
Shiny, resistant to crazing, cool slowly .

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 Bright Pottery Colors
Inside and Out
by John W. Conrad

The finished bowl looks good both burnished and fired

without a glaze for a decorative piece, or coated with a
transparent glaze and fired for a more kitchen-friendly
finish.

One way to have a striped surface pattern that carries
through from the inside to the outside of a form is to
work with colored clays. Open shapes ranging from
plates to bowl forms show the pattern best.
Preparing a Colored Clay Block
To make this striped form, mix two to three or more balls
of smooth white clay with metallic oxides or ceramic
stains. As a starting guide for adding color, use one ta-
blespoon of stain to a pound of clay (always wear gloves
when working with stains or oxides). The easiest way to
mix in the colorant is to put a depression in the ball of
clay, pour in a tablespoon of water, sprinkle in the colo-
rant, add water as needed, and mix completely to elimi-
nate any lumps. Wedge the wet colorant into the clay until
there are no streaks and the color looks uniform. Store the
colored clay balls in a plastic bag for a few hours to allow
moisture to distribute evenly.
The next step is to make a colored clay block us-
ing alternating colors. Roll out each ball of clay into
a ¼–3⁄8-inch-thick rectangular slab (figure 1). For this
piece, I’ve made the slab 12×4 inches. Brush the surface
with water where the slabs will overlap, then lay one col-
ored slab flat on top of the other. Lightly roll the slab to
smooth out the surface and squeeze out any trapped air.
Next, wet and place the third slab on top, then slightly
roll it to smooth.

1 2 3

Three balls of colored clay rolled into Place wetted slabs on top of each A wire cutter and thickness strips are
¼-inch thick slabs and cut to rect- other, cut in half, and repeat a few used to cut the slabs.
angles. times.

www.ceramicartsnetwork.org | Copyright © 2018, Ceramic Publications Company | How to Add Color to your Ceramic Art | 11
 4 5
After creating a cylinder from the slabs, Join the base to the cylinder, secure it
cut the base out of contrasting colored to the wheelhead, and use light pres-
clay slab. sure to throw into a bowl shape.
Now that all three colors are layered, cut the slab in
half, wet the top surface of one and the bottom of the
other, and attach the two using the same process. Re-
peat the process of cutting the slab in half, wetting, and
stacking the pieces, forming a striped block (figure 2).
Cover it with plastic and allow it to rest and equalize in
moisture content overnight.
Set the aged block stripe-side-up on canvas between two
thickness strips that are between ¼–3/8 inch thick. Using a
cut-off-wire, press the wire against the thickness guides and
slice the block (figure 3). Continue this process until all the
strips are cut into thin, identically striped slabs. You’ll use
these to create a slab with a repeating pattern that you can
form into a cylinder.
Forming the Cylinder
Wet the edges of each striped slab and join them together
into a long rectangle. Roll over the slab lightly using a
rolling pin to even out the join. When finished, curve the
slab into a cylinder shape and join the two ends. Measure
the diameter, and cut a disc out of contrasting clay to
form the bottom of the cylinder. Be sure that the slab is
the same thickness as the cylinder wall (figure 4). Score
the cylinder and the disc, then join the two. Allow the
form to rest under plastic for a few hours.
Throwing the Bowl
Place the cylinder on the potter’s wheel, center it, and
place clay lugs around the edge to keep the cylinder se-
cured. Thin and shape the cylinder as you would any
thrown bowl. Using light pressure from your inside
and outside hands, shape the cylinder by pressing it out
as you pull up, until you create the desired bowl form
(figure 5). Keeping the pressure light prevents the strips
from coming apart.
www.ceramicartsnetwork.org | Copyright © 2018, Ceramic Publications Company | How to Add Color to your Ceramic Art | 12
6
After throwing, scrape down the
exterior of the form with a metal rib or
fettling knife to reveal the pattern.
The rotation of the wheel and your hand’s pressure cause
the vertical strips to twist around the bowl form, making
an attractive spiral design. When finished, allow the bowl
to dry to leather hard, then trim the inside and outside sur-
faces to remove the muddy colored slip that obscures the
pattern (figure 6). Follow this with a metal scraper and a
kitchen scouring pad to completely clean the surface so the
pattern is crisp.
Finishing
At this point you have a few options. You can burnish
the surface and fire the piece to temperature without a
glaze, or you can bisque fire the piece, sand it further if
needed to smooth it out, wash it to remove dust, then
apply a transparent glaze and fire it to the appropriate
cone for your clay and glaze. Applying a glaze will make
the bowl food safe.
Tip: Some metallic oxides and stains are refractory,
non-plastic, and variable in particle size. These factors
can make the colored clay more of a challenge to work
with. These qualities mean you’ll need patience when
throwing the form to prevent the strips from coming
apart.
Another interesting challenge with this technique is to
shape a tall, hollow form like this into a vase, which re-
sults in an interesting stripe pattern that goes around the
vase several times. It’s a challenge, but worth the effort.
John W. Conrad writes technical ceramics books and articles for
pottery magazines. He is a retired ceramics professor and now a
guest professor at Luxun Academy in China. He lives in San Di-
ego, California, where he also maintains his studio. To see more
of his work, visit johnconradceramics.net. For questions or com-
ments, please contact John at johnconradceramics@gmail.com.
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